Lemon Springerle Cookies: #52WeeksofSweets, Week 30

This recipe for Lemon Springerle Cookies and shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TeaProudly #CollectiveBias

Our Lavender and Lemon Springerle Cookies are an updated classic of the traditional embossed German biscuit.  Pair with a cup of Constant Comment tea for a winning holiday combo.

As Christmas draws near, I’m doing a lot of cooking and baking in anticipation of spreading holiday cheer.  We’ll have guests and family coming and going, and I’m ready to have a full house.

We always had relatives visit for the holidays as a kid.  Most notably, my grandparents.  We’d spend hours each day playing board games with grandma.  And, we’d sit at the kitchen table every afternoon with grandpa eating cookies while he drank his tea.

Hover over the above image to purchase ingredients pictured.

In the last years before of his life when he was unable to travel for Christmas, we were mailed cookies that he made… and he especially loved to send us springerle.  If you’re unfamiliar, springerle is a type of German biscuit with an embossed design made by pressing a mold onto rolled dough.  The design is allowed to dry and set before baking.

I lost my grandpa just last year, and I’ve been feeling sentimental.  So this year, I knew I needed to have my cookies and tea in honor of him.  Time for springerles enjoyed with a cup of Bigelow Constant Comment.  With a secret recipe of black tea, rind of oranges and sweet spice it’s the perfect cup to pair with a springerle.

I know my grandpa would be proud of my Constant Comment tea choice.  He loved a traditional tea and he would have enjoyed sharing this original Bigelow tea with me.  As for the springerle cookie recipe I decided to update?  That probably has him turning over in his grave.  Sorry Grandpa!

I’ve substituted the traditional anise oil for lemon juice and zest along with lavender buds for a burst of citrus and floral flavor.  I’ve never been an anise fan, which is probably why he willed his vintage springerle roller to my sister.  Not bitter at all! 🙂

Lavender & Lemon Springerle Cookies

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Beat together the eggs, sugar, salt, almond extract, zest and lavender buds for 5 to 6 minutes.  You’re looking thick ribbons to fall from the beater.  Gradually mix in the flour to form thick cookie-like dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest at room temp for 30 minutes.

Lightly dust your work surface and springerle mold with flour. Tap the mold to remove excess flour.  Divide the dough in half and re-wrap one piece in plastic.   Roll the other piece ¼” thick.

Roll the mold carefully and with pressure over the dough. Cut around the design with a knife, and transfer the cookie to a baking sheet with a spatula. Repeat until you’ve used all the dough.  Repeat with the second half of the dough.

Allow the unbaked cookies to dry at room temperature, uncovered, for at least 24 hours, turning them over once during that time.  Don’t bake them until the cookie appears dry on both the bottom and the top.

Preheat the oven to 250°F.  Bake the cookies for 30-35 minutes, until they’re firm but not brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Lemon Springerle Cookies

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen

Our Lavender and Lemon Springerle Cookies are an updated classic of the traditional embossed German biscuit.  Pair with a cup of Constant Comment tea for a winning holiday combo.

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Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 Tb. grated lemon zest
• 1 Tb. lavender buds (optional)*
• 3 cups cake flour

Instructions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat together the eggs, sugar, salt, almond extract, zest and lavender buds for 5 to 6 minutes.  You're looking thick ribbons to fall from the beater.
3. Gradually mix in the flour to form thick cookie-like dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest at room temp for 30 minutes.
4. Lightly dust your work surface and springerle mold with flour. Tap the mold to remove excess flour.
5. Divide the dough in half, re-wrap one piece in plastic, and roll the other piece ¼" thick.
6. Roll the mold carefully and with weight over the dough. Cut around the design with a knife, and transfer the cookie to a baking sheet with a spatula. Repeat until you've used all the dough.  
7. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
8. Allow the unbaked cookies to dry at room temperature, uncovered, for at least 24 hours, turning them over once during that time.  Don't bake them until the cookie appears dry on both the bottom and the top.
9. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
10. Bake the cookies for 30-35 minutes, until they're firm but not brown. Remove them from the oven, and transfer them to a rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

To substitute 1 cup of AP flour for cake flour: Take one level cup of AP flour, remove two tablespoons, and then add two tablespoons of cornstarch back in.

I pulse the lavender buds in a coffee grinder that I use for spices to make them a fine powder.  

Find Bigelow Constant Comment Tea and the lemon springerle cookie ingredients at Walmart.  How do you Tea Proudly?  Click here for more inspirational moments with Bigelow!

Looking for more holiday recipes?  Don’t miss our Extra Creamy Four Cheese Macaroni or our Make-Ahead Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes!

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